Leader of Japan In World War Two

                                                                   http://www.generals.dk/content/portraits/Tojo_Hideki.jpg

     General Hideki Tojo was Prime Minister of Japan from October 1941- July 1944.  With a long militarist tradition, Japan became extremely militarist and aggressive in the 1930's and was practically governed by military leaders.  Tojo, an aggressive army general, became Minister of war July 1944 and Prime Minister in October 1941.  After a short attempt to improve relations with the U.S failed, he ordered to go to war and attack Pearl Harbor.  He gradually took more ministeral roles and in February 1944 he also made himself Commander in Chief, like Adolf Hitler did.  When he realized that Japan was going to lose the war, he resigned. The military continued to control Japan until the end of World War 2, which came when the Emperor Hirohito which was until then passive, ordered to surrender in order to prevent further inevitable destruction of Japan. After the war Tojo was executed for his responsibility to Japan's war crimes ("World War Two Leaders").

    Hideki Tojo was born in Tokyo, Japan, on 30th December 1884. He joined the Japanese Army and his military service included periods in Switzerland and Germany.  Promoted to major general in 1933 be became head of the Kwantung Army's military police in September 1935. After becoming a lieutenant general he became chief of staff to the Kwantung Army (March 1937-May 1938).  In May 1938 Fumimaro Konoye appointed Tojo as his vice minister of war. However, after six months in this post he returned to the armed services and took command of the army's aviation.  Tojo held extreme right-wing views and was a supporter of Nazi Germany. He also feared the long-term plans of Joseph Stalin and in 1938 he advocated pre-emptive air strikes on both China and the Soviet Union.  In July 1941 Tojo was appointed by Fumimaro Konoye as minister of war. He advocated an aggressive foreign policy and strongly opposed plans by Shigenoi Toyo to remove Japanese troops from China and Korea.  Tojo became prime minister on 16th October 1941. He initially backed the foreign office's efforts to reach agreement with the United States.  However, when convinced that a negotiated deal was possible, ordered the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December, 1941.  As well as prime minister Tojo also held the posts of minister of war, home minister and foreign minister. From February 1944 he was also Commander in Chief of the General Staff.  Tojo, aware that Japan was unable to win the war, resigned from office after the loss of Saipan in July 1944. He shot himself in the chest just before he was arrested by the US Military in 1945. Tojo survived and after being nursed back to health was tried as a war criminal. Hideki Tojo was executed on 23rd December 1948("Spartacus Educational").

                                                                                             Fumimaro Konoye

                                                                                                 http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/2WWkonoye.JPG